Sixteen Miles (Mark 8)

A few days ago I decided to purchase a bike. I want my cardio exercise (which I NEVER do) and justified it as such.

Anyway I am mentioning this because before this bike ride I was to go on I was reading Mark 8. In the beginning of the chapter Jesus calls his disciples toward him; he begins to speak of the four thousand people that are with them.  Long story short he feeds the four thousand and is on a boat into the region of Dalmanutha.

When Jesus and the disciples arrive immediately "the Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply and said, 'why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it'." (v. 11-12)

This is what began to manifest itself into my heart on my ride. My whole life I have heard people demand a sign from God. I, myself,  have even demanded such a sign. It is crazy what God has done in my life but usually the only time I see that God gave me a sign during the whole mess after the situation is over.

That is where some fall prey to Satan, especially when the outcome does not fall on their side of the fence. I have struggled with this too. I have been in situations that don't work out in my favor. The problem is over and I don't look back and learn the lesson God intended me to learn. Unfortunately, I usually have a resentment toward someone or something after this is totally done.


I have definitely seen growth in this area and am able to pinpoint what God may be teaching me. Don't get me wrong. I am nowhere near perfect. I still have a tendency in the midst of trouble to want what I think is best on my time. The one problem with my thinking is everything is done on God's time. I need a constant reminder of this.

Sixteen miles passed and this is still fresh on my mind.

His timing over my timing. Always.

Max

Launch Day (Mark 5)

Out of all days to start writing a blog today may have been one of the best.

My day started the same as most. Wake up at 8am. Get ready for work. Work hard, then come home.

I read in the front yard in a wooden chair where the sun hits. I read here because I enjoy my vitamin D.

Normal day,

right?

This, however, is when my day started to be a little different than normal.

A few days earlier I had finished reading Matthew. What made sense to me was to start reading the gospel of Mark. After finishing the fourth chapter I was about to get up when I read ahead to chapter five and realized it was a passage I had seen previously. Before I knew it I was enveloped in chapter five. Reading not just for the sake of reading, but because I had a feeling that this had something beneficial.

Boy, did the Holy Spirit have something in store for me.

The first section of chapter five is Jesus healing a demon-possessed man. But as Jesus is leaving the man begs to come with him. Jesus responds with "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you" (v. 18-19). What happens next is extraordinary. "So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis (The Ten Cities) how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed" (v. 20).

At this point I'm officially ready to get up and get ready for class (Night classes Mon. and Wed.). But as I stand up a sense of dizziness comes upon me. I fall uncomfortably back into my chair and begin to question myself what is happening to me. Am I going to faint? Am I going to throw up? Though I did feel both of these would happen I felt something was inside of me. After a few short minutes of praying very softly I realize what is happening.

The Holy Spirit is convicting me. I don't mean the subtle convictions I had in the past.What I am talking about is happening in real time. It is happening NOW. The Holy Spirit is showing me something I've talked about working on, but no follow through. I have thought about changing my ways, but no changes. I am being shown something that needs to be changed NOW.

I talk about love, loving other, and loving God. All good in theory, but what does that mean in a real life situation?

In my life it has been, Max goes to church. He volunteers with Jr. highers. He is gone all the time and doesn't spend time with us (his family) like he did before this whole Jesus thing. I have failed SO miserably at showing my immediate family this love I show to others so freely. I don't really know all the details of this conviction but I know that there is something to be done.

What a Day,

Max